Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-08
AN UNPLEASANT AFFAIR
THE PRESIDENT FINALLY DECLINES
TO GO TO ST. LOUIS,

Because OF Recent Utterances of Grand
| Grand Army Men-Extract from His Let
ter-The Talk at the apital-Action of
Lander Post-st. Louis Citizens Cut
| Loose from the G. a r. and VIII Try
Another Invitation.
| WASHINGTON CITY, July s.-The presi-
dents letter declining the invitation of St.
Louis to visit that city during the G. A. R.
eucampment starts out with an expression of
the pleasure he had expected to derive from
\ the visit, and an acknowledgement of the
| cordiality of the invitation, and says that
Immediately after the public announcement
that he would accept the invitation certain
very virulent expressions emanating from
members of the 6. A. R., constrained him to
review his acceptance. These expressions of
| unfriendlineSs. he saws, seem to be based upon
certain official acts involving important pub
| lie interests The president then continues:
| refuse TO believe that this organization, found
| ed upon patriotic ideas composed very largely OF
| men entitled to lasting honor and consideration
| and whose GROWING glory it should be that they
/ are American citizens as well as veteran soldiers.
deems it part of its mission 10 compass any OBJ
jeet or purpose by attenrl ting to intimidate the
/
| or executing the laws And yet the expressions
to which have referred indicate such preva.
| lence of unfriendiy feeling, and such menace 10
| an occasion which should be harmonious, peaceful
| and cordial, that they can not he ignored. ! beg
YOU to understand that am not conscious of any
| act of mine which should make me fear to meet
the Grand Army Of the Republic any other as
| semblage of my fellow citizens The account Of
| my official stewardship is always ready for pre-
| sentation to my countrymen.
I should not be frank if failed to confess,
while diSclaiming all resentment. that have been
| hurt by the unworthy and wanton attacks upon
| me, growing out of this matter. and the reckless
manner in which my actions and motives have
| been misrepresented both publicly and privately,
| for which however. the Grand Army Of the
Republic, body is by no means responsible
The threats of personal violence and harm in case
| undertake the trip in question, which scores of
| misguided, unbalanced men under the stimula-
| ton of excited feeling have made. are not even
considered
Rather than abandon my visit to the West and
| disappoint your citizens, I might. if | alone were
concerned, submit TO the insult 10 which it is
quite openly asserted would te helpleSSly sub
| ieeted if present at the encampment But I
should bear with me there the peoples highest
office the dignity of which l must protect and |
| believe that neither the Grand Army of the Re
| public as an organization, nor anything like a
| majority Of its members, would ever encourage
any scandalouS attack upon it
| If however among the membership of this
| body there are some as certainly seems to be the
| case, determined To denounce me and nv official
acts at the national encampment. I believe they
| should be permitted To do so unrestFained by my
| presence a guest of their organization. or as
guest OF the hospitable city in which their meet
| ing Is held
| The president then SAYS that a number OF
g. A. R. posts have declared their intention
of staying away if he was present; that the
| fact that this was the first time the national
Encampment was to be held in southern
state was looked upon as an suspicious
illustration of that hurying of sectional
and other feelings engendered and intensified
by the war, and taking these two considera-
tions INTO account presents still stronger
reason why he should not go where his pres
ence would interfere with the success of such
a happy movement.
The president closes by stating that his only
personal feeling is one OF regret and he hopes
the eucampment may be useful in illustrat
ing the highest patriotism OF American citi-
zenship.
The President has written another letter.
addresse to Mayor Francis, Frank Gaiennie
(president of the chamber of commercel ard
John NJ. Noble commander Frank J. Blair
Post No l, G. A. Re- going over pretty much
the same ground as in the above letter. though
in brief.forn, and ending with a leclination
of the invitation and wish for a successful
reunion This latter letter was given to the
| press THURSDAY
The presidents letter has created great in.
terest in the political aud army circles of
Washington The general opinion seems tc
be that it is strong political letter and viii
improve Cleveland's chances politically
few persons thought the president took a
narrow view of the disaffection among the
indictments of the G. A. R, and said be
should have gone to st. Lonis anyhow. mas
much as in his letter he stated that he did no,
hold the Grand Army, as body, responsible
for the disconnected feeling toward him
Gen. = 5 Burdette. ex-commander- in chiei
of the e. a +. said: Il think the letter is O
happy termination for the president and fol
the Grand Army of a situation which wa,
deplored as much inside Of the latter body a:
out of it. The whole matter of the contro
versy was unfortunate. but the surrounding.
had become so complicated regarding the
presidents proposed visit that his Withdrawal
in the way he announces it will be generally
regarded by Grand Army men as fortunate
occurrence. They will be glad as well thai
the refusal of the president to visit the en-
campment is made so honorably to himself
| Under no circumstances could there be i'm
puted to the president tbs least blame in tn.
matter The letter is "a strong one politically
and it is most timely ending of what prom
ised to be delicate and embarrassing situa
ton.
The Evening Critic Gndl, commenting OF
the letter editOrially says: That the chic
magistrate of the United States should be de
TERED from visiting any portion of the coun
try by threats of insult to his high office, i
something heretofore unknown in our nation
al experience II is something that never
should have been known The bare sugges
ton of such a contingency is startling to tbs
conservative sentiment of the Union. In all
probability the controversy will widen th,
breach between the politicians Of the GRAND
Army and the ADMINISTRATION, but it is cal
| culated to produce a still wider breach in th,
| Grand Army organization itself. many of the
members of which, ii not in sympathy witt
the presidents policy. still recognize him a
the chief officer of the government, to WHOM
all classes OF the people owe at least the cour
teoGs obeisance OF good citizens
An incident apropos to the matter occurred
| Thursday. The Republican (newspaperl con
tanned an Interview with a member OF Lande
Post, G. 4 r., of Lynn, Mass, which hat
just arrived from visit to the south. TIL
member is reported as saying that the pos
did not care to call on the president, as the,
could see rebels enough south.
When this came out many of the member
| expressed their Indignation at it, and Capt
| Walker, post commander, was especially dis
pleased and called a meeting of the post a
2 O'Clock p. M, at which resolutions wer
adopted declaring the interview to be Evil
fully and mallciously false, full of bragga
docio, bombast, and conceit" The resolu
tions also condemned the action of the com
rade who was reported to have made tn
statements, and declared that he was I'm
worthy to be a member of the g. A. Z. Ate
| the adoption of the resolutions David Walker
post commander, o. H. Smith, and E. S
Hay were appointed a committee to wait OF
the president and see if arrangements coui
be made for the post 10 call III body an
pay their respects to Mr.. Cleveland This
was satisfactorily arranged, and at 30 the
corps went to the executive mansion and were